Enigma
by The Littlest Dragon
Summary: Imprisoned against her will and with no memories of her past, a girl is taken into a clan and helped to recall what she's lost. --FFTA set in a futuristic world--[Chapter 17 Up!]
1. Prisoner

Fwee. First fanfic I've ever written. R/R pleeeaaaase.  
  
Disclaimer: Me? Own FFTA? Hah! That's a laugh.  
  
-  
  
The strip of moonlight on the metal floor was greenish and bitter; in fact, the pollution of the atmosphere was so horrendous that any moonlight at all was a miracle. But it gave no hope to the prisoner who stared at it was blank, desolate eyes. They'd stripped her of everything she had: her weapons, her memory, and not least her name. She didn't remember what she'd done to be imprisoned like this. She didn't remember anything.  
  
For the last few hours, vague noises had been audible from outside, crashes and bellows and shrieks, gradually drawing closer. She could feel the floor trembling beneath her malnourished body, the walls creaking ominously every so often at a particularly large blast. Through the tiny slot in her door came blurred flashes of gold and red and blue light. They danced on the floor as though mocking her with the bright vivacity of color she'd been so long been deprived of.  
  
It took a great effort, but she managed to heave her feather-light frame off the cold floor and across the tiny cell to the door. She was careful not to brush it; she'd learned the hard way that it had been programmed to emit a high voltage when touched. Through the narrow inch-high slit her dulled green eyes took in the scene outside.  
  
There were only about five of them, but they battled with skill and grim precision. If only she could remember! She knew she'd seen outfits like theirs before, quite often in fact, but the memory slipped just beyond the reach of her drugged mind. Two of the guards, in their dull gray uniforms that blended with the dull gray walls, lay unconscious on the floor. The other four all sported minor wounds but were holding their own against the unknown intruders.  
  
She found her gaze drawn to one who seemed to be the leader, a tall, lithe youth with white-blond hair that was drawn back in a short but neat ponytail. His sword flashed blue sparks as it clashed with that of the guard, fingers deftly manipulating the keys on the control pad to change the magic consistency. Behind him stood a young woman holding a bow, her eye aligned with the tracker. Every so often she would release the empty bowstring, and an arrow would appear moments later above the head of a guard and pierce him with a streak of white flame in its wake.  
  
Hours passed, but the group of fighters stayed where they were. The guards were a strong match for the intruders, but their numbers were slowly decreasing. She had no way of measuring the time that had gone by when the last guard sank to the ground and the clan put away their weapons. The leader was looking around, and his piercing gaze landed on hers. For a long moment their eyes were locked on each other, then he took a few quick steps forward and reached for her door.  
  
She took a step back as it slid back into the wall, tripping and tumbling backwards. Her legs were cramped from being in one position for so long. The young man filled the doorway, blocking out the outside light that made her eyes water. Silently he extended his hand to her. For a moment she hesitated; then her hand met his, and the large, rough fingers closed firmly but gently around her own. As she rose again to her feet, she found herself unable to look away from those shockingly blue eyes. They seemed so familiar, as did the hand holding hers.but again the memories were just out of reach. Her cracked lips moved, unable to call forth the voice that had been unused for so long, and then a hoarse and nearly unintelligible word emerged. "Thanks." 


	2. It's too easy

You have no idea how much that one review I got inspired me, as a beginner writer. Spiritsnare Flux, I love you. Unfortunately this chapter may not live up to your expectations   
  
Disclaimer: *checks* Nope, still don't own it.  
  
-  
  
"Who are you?" was the second thing to pass her lips.  
  
He regarded her silently for a long moment. "My name is Liam," he answered her curtly, taking a step backwards and pulling her farther out into the faintly buzzing electric light. The other fighters enclosed her in a semicircle, all appraising her with their stares.  
  
A million questions whirled through her mind, too many to voice. She settled for just one. "Where are we? I. . .I can't remember anything, anything at all. . .I don't even know who I am."  
  
Liam blinked, something stirring behind his eyes. "Bervenia Palace, Ivalice. How long have you been here?" Glancing down, he began tapping the screen of his armband computer in rapid succession.  
  
"I have no idea. . .a long time, is all I know."  
  
"Can you fight? Well, never mind that; if you can't, you'll learn quickly. Choose a name for yourself. You'll join us, Clan Tjavo, as a white mage. It's probably the safest job for a beginner." Looking up from the faintly glowing screen, he nodded briefly to a slender woman with long, velvety ears atop her head. "Suit her up, Ladrei."  
  
Ladrei offered her a small smile and slipped her arms out of the pouch she carried slung across her back. A bewildered look crossed the former prisoner's face. Everything was going too fast.her brain whirled dizzyingly and she felt weak with hunger and exhaustion. "Then I choose. . .Ayame," she murmured, leaning against the unforgiving metal wall for support. Ladrei handed her a sleek white suit and her own armband computer. Ayame stepped into the suit and fastened the magnetic clasps, feeling the material instantly conform to fit her shape, and tightened the band around her left forearm. When she raised her head again, Liam was staring at her stomach with eyebrows raised. She glanced down and immediately felt her ghostly pale cheeks flush scarlet, because her ribs could be seen clearly through the skintight material.  
  
"First thing you need is a good meal." It was the archer who spoke, flicking her chestnut braid over her left shoulder. "Then we'll get you outfitted with some weapons and do a little training, hopefully before we end up in another engagement."  
  
Liam nodded. "Let's get out of here." The defeated guards were stirring with little moans of pain. "I don't envy them their headache when they come to." His partners chuckled as they began the long trek down an immeasurably long hallway that twisted and doubled back on itself illogically. Liam was constantly forced to check the three-dimensional map that was projected above a small disc he carried. Ayame was soon too disconcerted to have any sense of direction, and couldn't have made it back to her cell if she'd wanted to.  
  
The clan looked particularly uneasy, and she finally got up the nerve to ask why. "It's too easy," a Bangaa explained. "Normally this place is so well guarded that you can't even blink outside with at least one of their guards noticing. But today, the only group we've encountered so far was those guards." Ayame unconsciously gave their surroundings an uneasy look, as if expecting some spectral being to leap out at them at any given moment.  
  
She wasn't looking ahead as they rounded yet another corner and only turned her head again at the collective gasp from the clan. When she did, her own gasp drew all the breath from her lungs. Two enormous beasts loomed in front of them, hissing and snarling with drool dripping from their incisors. They resembled some sort of hybrid cross between lions and dogs, with leathery red skin riddled with scars, powerfully muscled limbs, and a line of deadly yellow spines running down their backs. Both were at least twice as big as Liam, but as they appeared to have very primitively developed minds, there was a slight chance of victory, in Ayame's eyes.  
  
Liam gave a brief nod. "We can defeat them. Lucky for you that your first fight is an easy one." Tossing her a long titanium rod, which she assumed to be her weapon, he announced in a firm voice, "Engage." 


	3. Acid rain

No more chapters until I get more reviews, so there. XP . . .but the reviews I ihave/i gotten are very encouraging =3  
  
Disclaimer: Now really people, if I owned FFTA would I be sitting around here writing fanfics? No. I'd be out doing something with the billions of dollars I would have! -_-  
  
-  
  
At the single word, the whole clan shifted into battle positions, readying out weapons with a fierce glint in their eyes. With a whoosh of displaced air, a tiny whirring robot popped into existence some ten feet in the air. "Today's laws forbid use of bows," it announced in a mechanical monotone. The archer, Rei, grimaced and stepped aside, unable to participate in the battle without a weapon. "Begin!"  
  
Ayame glanced down at her weapon. A white band encircled the top of the staff, while halfway down was a keypad with multiple unlabeled buttons on it. Liam glanced back and heaved an exasperated sigh. "I can't battle and instruct her at the same time," he muttered under his breath. "Rei, help her out!" Ayame dropped her gaze to the floor, embarrassed.  
  
Rei moved to her side and took the staff into her own hands. "The plain white band tells you that this is currently a White Staff," she explained. "When you acquire new upgrades, you can change it to different staff types to learn new abilities. Right now, since the only ability you know is Cure, only one button is available on the keypad." She pointed to the green button. "See how the rest of them are red? When you learn those abilities, they'll turn green and you'll be able to use them.  
  
"When it's your turn, use your computer to check the stats of the rest of the clan. Select a name from the list that has taken the most damage and hit the button on the staff to Cure them. White Mages are probably the most valuable assets to the party, so make sure you help the clan out as much as you can. Got all that?"  
  
Ayame nodded, hoping she could remember it all. She turned her attention to the battle against the two monsters. A Moogle named Kethburr was currently taking his turn. He sprinted nimbly around behind the monster, lifted his gun, aimed, and shot. The bullet took the creature straight into the back, accompanied by a howl of pain. Oddly enough, as Ayame looked on, there was no blood and no gaping wound. The monster's hit points on her computer screen scrolled down to a mere 20.  
  
Suddenly a tiny red sword icon appeared in the top corner of the screen. It was her turn. Taking a deep breath, she scrolled through the list of names and selected that of Peyo, the Summoner. Aiming the staff directly at the kneeling Viera, she hit the button. A white light sprouted from the tip and vanished into the Summoner's skin, bringing Peyo back to her feet and her HP back to 50.  
  
"Good job," Rei murmured, her eyes reflecting the bolt of lightning that now played between Peyo's fingers. It leapt off and struck the monster squarely between the eyes, reducing it to a heap of charred bones. Liam let out a whoop of excitement, clearly enjoying the battle. It was only a matter of minutes before the second creature was likewise demolished.  
  
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot deposited a clanking sack into Liam's outstretched hands and vanished.  
  
Liam tucked the money into his pack, grinning broadly. "5,000 gil goes a long way. Good fight, everyone-including Ayame." Her cheeks flushed again, but this time with pleasure.  
  
The passage ended only a short distance ahead. Liam halted before a small, unobtrusive door set in the wall and heaved it open with his shoulder. The clan stepped outside into the dank air outside.  
  
Ayame turned her face to the smog-polluted sky, unspeakably thankful to feel fresh air once again, even if it was filled with toxic gas. Suddenly she felt a sharp sting on her arm and a drop of water rolling down her skin. "Acid rain," Liam answered the unvoiced question. "Another nasty side effect of the fumes the palace's factories emit. It's already made Malboros extinct, which is useful for us travelers but it also proves how harmful it is." He shook his head, spraying beads of water from his hair.  
  
"What do they make in those factories that cause so much pollution?" Ayame ventured tentatively.  
  
Liam shot her a startled look, then shook his head. "I forgot that they wiped your memory. They're creating a new fighting force, all mechanized and programmed to defeat even a Totema. Nobody knows what they have that's so important that's worth defending like that." As she watched his eyes, she saw something odd and unnamable stir within their depths, the same thing she'd seen when he'd freed her-was it really only a few hours ago? It seemed like days.  
  
"We'll find a pub, and then we'll talk," he announced abruptly. "Eat a good meal, get someplace to sleep, maybe pick up a few more missions. We're running low on gil."  
  
It was a sensible enough plan, and the clan had no objections. Ayame could almost feel the acid rain eating away her skin, along with the rapidly increasing gale, but she made no more complaint of it than her companions. She was glad when they reached the small, decrepit building that Liam claimed to be a pub and could get in out of the elements. 


	4. Sixpointed star

Oh, pooh. I couldn't wait around long enough for more reviews so I gave you one anyway Merry Christmas.  
  
Disclaimer: ..I don't even see the point of these things. Obviously, if you're on this site and you're writing a fanfic for this story, then do you own the game/book/whatever? No.  
  
-  
  
"Find a table and get some food," Liam ordered. "I'm going to go look for another mission." He headed for the bar, manned by a threadbare old man, while the rest of the clan moved to occupy several tables in the corner of the pub. Ishro, the Nu Mou Illusionist, left to order some food just as Liam returned.  
  
He took a seat next to Ayame, shaking his head. "There were hardly any worthwhile missions, so I set up a dispatch for you, Viola. Here are the details." Viola, a Red Mage, took the disc he handed her and slotted it into her computer. "You leave in the morning."  
  
Ayame cleared her throat. "I think maybe we should talk. . .about a lot of stuff." Everybody turned to look at her. She felt the heat rise to her face again and tried to push it back. "For instance, what were you doing in the palace in the first place? Why did you free me, but none of the other prisoners? I wish I knew my own past, too. . .but you can't answer that question, so I'll have to solve it myself."  
  
Liam ran his finger slowly along the blunt metal edge of the table. "Those aren't simple answers you're asking for, you know. There's a lot more behind this than you know." He took a deep breath, wondering why he was even bothering to do this, and plunged in.  
  
"We were in the palace on a mission. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, the funny thing was, the mission request was signed by Prince Madi. The wording of the mission was strange as well. Here-" He tapped his computer screen a few times and handed it to Ayame. She gazed at it in puzzlement, reading the glowing green words on the screen.  
  
Reserve Mission  
  
If you are strong of body and strong of mind, then come to the palace at midnight. The old tree has your ticket inside. Your fate depends on your  
success.  
Madi  
  
"It made no sense, but if it was illegal, it wouldn't be in a publicly accessible place, would it? So we went. There's only one tree left in the gardens, all the others died. But the only thing we could find near the tree was a normal servant's door, so we went in." He paused to nod in thanks as their food arrived. "You know the rest-we battled the guards, found you, and left the same way we came in. It still doesn't make sense, though-we didn't get a reward, there seemed to be no point to the mission; in fact, it didn't even seem like a real mission. However, we did find this."  
  
He passed to her a small, nondescript dagger, dulled from long years of use and with an old-fashioned leather-bound hilt. "It was lying directly outside your cell; I'm surprised the guards hadn't found it before that. We don't know what it is, but we kept it anyway.  
  
"In answer to your other question. . ." Liam halted uneasily. "The story behind that contains a prophecy that everyone in Ivalice knows. It was made ten years ago, by a renowned mage named Yilga as he lay dying. He said, 'One day there will come a girl of much power and wisdom, from another world. Ye shall know her by her hair of ebony, eyes of jade, and the star she carries on her palm. She will remember nothing of her past life and know nothing of magic or combat; but she will bring Ivalice back to the peace it once held, with the aid of the descendant of our legendary hero, Marche. And her name will be. . .'"  
  
Liam stopped talking. "He died then, and nobody will ever know the name he was about to say. But I remember this prophecy more than most-because I am the descendant of Marche."  
  
Ayame had gone pale white when he'd mention the scar, clenching her left fist so tightly that her ragged nails bit into her palm. When he uttered the last sentence, she gasped so sharply that Liam caught her arm, alarmed that she would faint from the shock. "Ayame, show me your hand." The order came kindly yet firmly, and slowly the fist uncurled. There, directly in the center of her palm, was a faint white outline of a six-pointed star.  
  
Ayame shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "I. . .I don't know where that came from! I just can't remember! It could be a birthmark-or a scar-I don't know! I don't know!" She gabbled the words out in a panic. It was too much; only a few hours out of the prison she'd been locked in for months, and already an enormous burden had descended on her shoulders. Liam gently placed his hand over her mouth, silencing her. "Get a good night's rest," he urged her quietly. "It won't seem so bad in the morning."  
  
Ayame squeezed her eyes shut, wiping tears from the corners. "All right." she agreed in a tiny voice. Liam stood, helping her up, and showed her to a small, shabby room in the back of the pub, leaving her there. She lay down immediately and tried to sleep, but sleep was a long time in coming to her troubled mind. 


	5. Wakki

Neeeed. . . .reviiiiieeeewwwws. . . .*falls over* Disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother anymore.  
  
-  
  
The sky was barely beginning to lighten when Ayame woke again, but she couldn't go back to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Finally she got out of bed and drifted drowsily out into the pub. Only a few early risers were out, and Liam was one of them. He caught sight of her as she paused in the doorway and pulled out the seat next to him as an invitation. Hesitantly she weaved her way between tables and chairs to sit next to him.  
  
Several agonizingly long minutes passed in silence. Finally Liam set down his steaming mug and spoke. "So I suppose we're stuck together," he murmured, eyes fixed on the swirling liquid before him.  
  
Ayame was slowly tracing the star on her palm with her forefinger. At his words she clenched her hand into a fist again. "Yes," she whispered. "But I just don't understand. . .what can I possibly do that will save Ivalice? I can't even battle with a real weapon, I barely know how to be a healer! I-"  
  
Liam hushed her, placing two fingers on her lips. She felt herself redden yet again, pushing his hand away. "You'll learn," he promised her. "In fact, there's no need for you to remain a White Mage. You're right; you need to learn." Pulling her arm closer to his, he began to type on her computer screen. "I'm upgrading you to Fencer. Swords are the most basic of all weapons, so you may as well learn to fight with those first."  
  
Ayame watched as he tapped away with dismal eyes. Suddenly she remembered the dagger he'd shown her last night. "Liam, where's the dagger?" she asked. "I'd like to see it for a moment." Liam flashed her an odd look, but fished it out of his pack and handed it to her.  
  
"It's not the weapon I'd like you to start with-" he began, then suddenly stopped short, his jaw gaping in awe. The instant Ayame had taken the hilt of the dagger in her left hand, it had transformed entirely. The blade was long, slender, and curving, inscribed with a line of elegant but unreadable runes. The hilt had a perfect six-pointed star laid in gold on the center, and a small blue charge glowed along the edges of the blade. Slowly Ayame laid the sword down on the table, and the instant it lost contact with her skin, it became the same unremarkable dagger as before. But etched in the cracked leather of the hilt was a ragged star that matched the one on her palm.  
  
Liam blinked once, twice, trying to force himself believe what he'd seen. "What the hell?" he finally burst out. Not particularly eloquent, but effective. "What did you do to it?!"  
  
Her head swung slowly from side to side. "I don't know. . ." Taking the blade gingerly between thumb and forefinger, she returned it to Liam, who immediately gave it back to her. "It belongs to you now," he informed her. "After that display, you should be the only one to use it."  
  
She put it away. The pub was filling up with people by this time, and several members of their clan wandered over with food and drink. Liam clapped his hands. "We're going to Muscadet," he announced, standing up. "I'd like to see if the Card Shop has any new law cards in, and we may as well try to get Ayame some battle experience."  
  
The clan headed out onto the roads. Ayame was soon exhausted, but she tried not to complain, seeing her companions' stalwart determination to reach their destination before nightfall. There was little or no conversation between most of them, though she and Liam did discuss their predicament almost constantly. In fact, they were so absorbed that the clan leader wasn't on his guard as much as normal, and they didn't realize until too late that they'd been set upon by an enemy clan.  
  
"Well, well, if it issssn't Clan Tjavo." The mocking voice rang out over the quiet party, causing all heads to turn towards the speaker. A fearsome Bangaa stood atop a small hill, overlooking them with a warlike glint in his amber eyes. "Long time no ssssee, Liam. You've got a new clan member, I noticccce."  
  
Liam bristled inwardly but remained cool on the surface, giving his clan a nearly imperceptible nod. Weapons were withdrawn, battle positions assumed. Ayame reached for her dagger but found her hand stayed. "Don't touch it yet," he murmured in her ear. "Don't reveal it until the battle starts." She nodded as he straightened up, facing the Bangaa. "Stolen any gil from helpless passerby lately, Wakki?" he called fearlessly. "Don't even bother answering that, I already know the answer. Unfortunately I'm not going to hand over all our money without a fight."  
  
Wakki's tongue flicked in and out in irritation. "Sssso be it. Engage!" At once the tiny whirring robot appeared. "Today's laws forbid use of fire," it droned. "Begin!"  
  
Ayame drew her sword, watching the opposing clan shrink back in fearful wonder at the sapphire glowing blade. Liam took the first turn, darting forward to deal a sharp gash on the arm of a Paladin, who collapsed. The attack had done a surprising total of 98 damage, five more than the Paladin had. Peyo momentarily forgot the rules on her turn and Summoned Ifrit, who dealt fire damage to three enemies, killing one and mortally wounding the others. However, the instant she lowered her staff, there came a piercing beep from the robot. "Yellow card for Peyo!" it ordered, a small yellow piece of paper sliding from a slot. The Summoner took it, wincing as Liam shot her a baleful glare.  
  
It was her turn. Ayame scrolled through the list of attacks that appeared on her computer. She'd never heard of any of them. Shrugging, she picked one that read "Swiftnight" and lunged forward towards Wakki. To her shock, the battlefield went dark, as though the sun had been plucked out of the sky and extinguished. The glow of her sword illuminated her way, however, and she managed to land her blow directly on the Bangaa's shoulder. At the sound of the creature's cry, the sunlight returned. Wakki lay prostrate on the ground, one glance at her computer confirming the knockout, and more: the attack had done 150 damage! Ayame stared at it in disbelief, as did everyone else who had the presence of mind to look at his or her computer. Instantly the opposing clan dropped their weapons in surrender.  
  
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot handed the winnings-8,000 gil and a Hades Bow-to Liam before disappearing. Ayame sheathed her blade as the clan headed back to the road, still trying to make herself understand what she'd just accomplished. 


	6. Elddir

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!! *glomps all reviewers* I will give you another chapter as a Christmas present ^^  
  
-  
  
"Ayame, what did you do?" came the first cry. Then she was surrounded by clamoring incredulities, continuously firing at her one after another after another. She tried to tell them that she didn't know, had no idea what she'd done, but she couldn't be heard over the noise. Finally they were silenced by a furious bellow.  
  
"Let her alone!" Liam exclaimed. "Poor girl doesn't know any better than you what she did, can't you see that?"  
  
With a low cacophony of grumbling and muttered grievances, the clan drifted away to resume their march to Muscadet. "So are you all right?" Liam asked her quietly, because her skin was pale and clammy. "That was quite an attack you pulled off there."  
  
She glanced down at the dagger, so harmless in appearance in its leather sheath. "I'll be fine, but I still don't understand what happened. The attack was called 'Swiftnight,' which I've never heard of."  
  
He frowned. "Neither have I. But then I've never seen a sword like that, either." They fell into a deep, uneasy silence that lasted all the way to Muscadet. Once there, Liam sent the clan off to get some food, but took Ayame with him to the Card Shop.  
  
It was a small, musty place, decorated with false elaborateness in the form of threadbare, gold-tasseled curtains, tables edged with peeling gilt, and flickering brass sconces. A rather plump Nu Mou was seated at a low table, shuffling through a stack of grubby cards. As the couple entered, he raised his shrewd tawny eyes and hopped off the chair.  
  
"Liam!" he exclaimed, his voice disproportionately deep to his squat form. "It's been a few months since you've dropped in! Who's your girlfriend?"  
  
"She's not my girlfriend, Balez," he answered sharply, causing the Nu Mou to wink knowingly at Ayame. "But it was in connection with our. . .relationship that I came to see you."  
  
Balez suddenly looked interested. "Oh? I'd hoped perhaps you'd help my pocketbook out and buy a few cards, but a bit of gossip is not below me. So, what is it you want to tell me?"  
  
Liam glanced at her at the same time her eyes flickered over to him. For a moment, they held each other's gaze, then made a mutual agreement. "Balez, Ayame is the one that Yilga prophesied."  
  
For several long moments the shop was utterly silent as the Nu Mou's eyes bulged nearly out of his head. "You're kidding, of course," he announced as soon as he had control of his tongue, only to be stopped short by Liam's shaking head. "But her. . .she's such a scrawny thing!"  
  
Ayame bridled, but Liam laid his hand on her shoulder. "They were holding her in the palace. I think they wiped her memory, although the amnesia may have been caused by a bump to the head; though what from I couldn't guess. We know now that we have to stick together to fulfill this prophecy, but we don't know what to do or where to go next."  
  
Balez stroked one of his velvety ears thoughtfully. "I can't help you much on that one, mate. Of course, there's always the crystal to go after."  
  
Both of them stared at him, nonplussed. "But. . .Marche destroyed all the crystals nearly five hundred years ago, didn't he?" Liam asked uncertainly. "There aren't any more."  
  
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," the Cardkeeper informed them. Furtively he looked around, then moved a bit closer to them, lowering his voice. "There was one more crystal. It wasn't guarded by a Totema like the others, because it was believed to be insignificant and hold no real power. But when they realized how much power it truly held, the palace went to great lengths to keep it safe. Recently there's been a group of people who've started attacking them, presumably to get at the crystal, in a strange hit-and-run stratagem. That's the reason for this great army they're building. This resistance they've met-the Elddir, they call them-is growing stronger by the day.  
  
"Nobody knows of this, of course, and don't ask how I know because I won't tell you. But the best advice I can give you now is to find these Elddir and join them. Destroying that crystal may be your only hope." Balez stepped back, his face crinkled in satisfaction.  
  
Liam and Ayame were staring at each other in horror. "Is there no alternative?" Ayame asked weakly, but she already knew the answer. "We must go tell the clan," Liam murmured. "Thank you, Balez." Ignoring the Nu Mou's fervent pleas for a donation, they left the shop, making for the pub where their clan was quartered. 


	7. Prince Madi

Ugghhh. . .okay, so here's the problem. I've gotten many comments so far about the length of my story, but they're really confusing. To list them out: "It has potential, but rather short chapters." ". . .wasn't as good as your last ones. A tad bit longer. . ." "Length is the only thing that kills these stories." ". . . shortness is what kills (and also helps) these stories." "These are short chapters...o.o;;" What exactly does "length kills it" mean? If you're the one who posted that, please explain to me exactly what you meant! . .;  
  
-  
  
The clan sat in sober silence after Liam had explained the situation to them. They were the only silent ones in a roomful of boisterous laughter and drunken brawls. Ayame rested her head in her hands. "What we need is a fight," she mused to herself. "Something to boost our confidence that we can do this impossible task."  
  
Liam overhead her mumblings. "Good idea," he agreed in an undertone. "Stay here, I'll see what I can do." She watched with mild interest as he stood and staggered directly into the middle of a fistfight between two Bangaa. "What's the matter, can't you two girls land a real punch?" he challenged them in a loud voice, staggering as though he were drunk. Ayame had to admire his acting. "Why, even the smallest Viera in my clan could punch better than you lizards!"  
  
The Bangaa immediately turned scarlet with fury. "How dare you!" the bigger one roared. "I should masssh you to a pulp right now, you insssssolent ssssneak, but I'll give you one fair chanccce. My clan will beat yourssss in a battle any day!"  
  
Liam gave him a toothy grin. "How about right now? Meet you outside the pub in ten minutes!" Lurching back to the clan, who were all gaping at him in incredulity, he gave a broad wink. "Get ready, guys. You know we can beat them all easy. Get out weapons, do upgrades, whatever you need to before the battle starts."  
  
Ayame shook her head as she stood, grinning at him. "Bravo, bravo!" she cheered him laughingly, causing him to hang his head in mock embarrassment. "Well performed, Liam. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's better than nothing." Liam rolled his eyes at her and headed outside.  
  
The battle was simple. The other clan was made up of mostly Bangaa, all White Monks or Warriors, but a Viera White Mage and a human Archer lurked in the back of the battlefield. They were taken out easily by Peyo and Rei. Liam took out the two weaker Bangaa with Whirlwind, a third removed by Kethburr, the Gunner. Finally Ayame's turn arrived. She chose a new attack this time, one called "Crystalguard," and lunged forward to finish off the last Bangaa. The tip of her sword began to glow ruby, against the normal sapphire flare; as it touched the Bangaa's armor, the enemy was encased in a block of rose-tinted crystal. Apparently it counted as a KO, because a judge point was added to the total in the corner of her computer.  
  
There was suddenly a burst of light. Apparently one of the Warriors had not been killed after all, and sprang up with a malicious look on its face. Its sword hurtled down upon Ayame's head, bringing her crashing to the ground, already falling into darkness. The last thing she saw was Liam's face above her own, then all her senses dissolved into oblivion.  
  
When she came to, hours later, she found herself in a bed-presumably somewhere in the pub-with Liam half-asleep in a chair next to her. As she tried to sit up, her head pounding sluggishly, he awoke with a start and a small smile of relief. "Welcome back," he murmured, handing her a glass of water. "We were worried about you for a few hours there."  
  
"What. . .happened?" She felt dazed, taking a few sips of water in an attempt to clear the fog from her mind.  
  
"That Bangaa faked a KO and hit you really hard. Unfortunately, even though your attacks are impossibly strong, you don't have much HP built up yet, so it knocked you out. Don't worry, he got a red card from the judge, probably a pretty heavy bail, too." Liam gave her a warm smile. Her heart skipped a bit and she felt lightheaded, confusing her; why was she reacting like this to just a smile from Liam? Attributing it to her muddled hangover, she smiled back, eliciting a faint pink tinge on his face in return.  
  
Awkwardly she tried to stand, only to stumble and collapse practically on top of him. For a moment they were uncomfortably close, their faces only inches from each other; Ayame could feel his warm breath on her lips. Then they were several feet apart, mumbling some excuse or other under their breaths, before their eyes locked. They fell silent, then both started laughing, making their way out of the room side by side.  
  
They were still chuckling as they entered the pub, where they were swarmed by the other members of their clan, all making sure Ayame was all right. Suddenly their exclamations were cut short by a call from across the room. "You two. Liam, Ayame. Come here."  
  
The two exchanged glances, startled, having no choice but to follow the call to its source. A short, lean figure, swathed in a patched and ragged cloak, beckoned them to its table in the corner. Uneasily they seated themselves, Liam's hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you, and what do you want?" Ayame asked, voicing the question both of them were wondering.  
  
The voice that emerged from the hood's depths was that of an adolescent male, surprising them; but not as much as the words that registered a moment later. "My name is Prince Madi." 


	8. Destroy

Thank you to everybody who gave me a review--and I must also give Navi-Zero a special thanks for those encouraging words =) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!  
  
-  
  
A stunned gasp sprang from both of them; unconsciously their hands gripped each other's tightly. Speechless for quite some time, Liam finally found the breath to gasp out a question, too simple to voice all the misgivings in his head. "How did you know our names?"  
  
A brief, harsh laugh escaped the prince. "That was the least of my troubles, since there are cameras all along that hallway. Didn't think of that, did you? But you were never in any real danger, I had the monitors for those particular cameras completely under my control while you were in the palace. Don't look so surprised. I planted that mission for you specifically in the pub."  
  
"But. . .why?" Ayame was staring at him, bewilderment plain on her face.  
  
"Because I too know of the prophecy; I know very well who Liam is, and I knew who YOU were, Ayame. Why do you think my father had your memory wiped?" He silenced their impending questions with an imperial wave of his hand. "Wait until I'm finished talking before you interrupt again! As I know you're wondering, my purpose in doing all that was this: I know where the last crystal is, and I want to destroy it."  
  
Both of them opened their mouths yet again, but Madi was quicker. "Silence! There is no use in asking me why, because I will not tell you. I cannot destroy the crystal myself; being royalty is not all that easy, you know. I'm followed by servants and guards everywhere I go." Liam and Ayame exchanged a sarcastic oh-how-horrible look. "Needless to say, I cannot get to the crystal by myself. You have no idea how difficult it was to get here by myself tonight. I-"  
  
He broke off mid-sentence, glancing up with sudden urgency. "I must go. I will contact you soon, if possible." Leaping up, he made a dash for the door, ignoring cries of outrage as he rammed people aside unconcernedly. The instant he was gone, the rest of their clan swarmed back over, firing endless questions at them. Liam and Ayame refused to say anything, still somewhat in a state of shock as they pushed their way through the crowded pub to the back. Unable to get through easily, Liam was finally forced to use his sword as a threat. He backed up slowly while brandishing the sword, Ayame leading the way for him, and both of them locked themselves into the first room they came to.  
  
Ayame flung herself on the bed, closing her eyes in exhaustion. Liam sank down next to her, rubbing his temples slowly. "That was. . .strange," he finally murmured, an enormous understatement. She laughed humorlessly, sitting up next to him.  
  
"This is going to be the most dangerous thing we'll ever have to do," she murmured, emerald eyes gazing sightlessly at the wall. "I hate this, this whole idea of our destinies being pre-set. . .it seems so unfair that neither of us has the chance to choose what our lives will be like."  
  
"You don't know the half of it," Liam snorted. "Everyone expects such great things from me, just because Marche was my great-great-great-whatever grandfather. I've spent my whole life so far just trying to live up to other people's expectations."  
  
Tentatively, she laid her hand on his shoulder. "It must be difficult," she sympathized in a small voice. Startled, he turned to look at her, clear blue eyes locked with swirled jade ones. Slowly, painfully, their faces came closer to each other, his hands awkwardly reaching up to touch her dark hair. . .  
  
There came a loud pounding on the door, bringing both of them back to their senses. Liam got up to answer it, leaving Ayame watching him wistfully.  
  
-  
  
Hehe. . .first little taste of romance right there =D This chapter is your little Christmas present, now give me one and REVIEW! 


	9. Hurt

Thanks again for all the reviews, everybody!! By the way, Navi-Zero, what exactly did you mean by 'totalitarian?'  
  
-  
  
It was Rei, looking very hassled and out of breath. "Liam, they've caught Balez," she wheezed. "You know they've been after him and all his predecessors, ever since Ezel invented those cards. . .well, apparently today the prince and a whole host of guards appeared in his shop today and caught him. He never had a chance."  
  
Liam's eyes turned hard after the first sentence, but when the archer told him that it was the prince's doing, his skin turned a shade paler and he took an involuntary step back. Ayame caught his arm, standing up wide-eyed. "Are you sure it was the prince?" she asked hurriedly, only to receive an affirmative nod.  
  
"Thank you, Rei." Liam gathered himself together, though his eyes remained silver with bitterness. "You can go." The archer left, shutting the door firmly behind her.  
  
"It's a trap," he announced abruptly. "That little brat certainly knows what he's doing, I'll at least give him that. Now that Balez, one of my best friends, is in the dungeon, I have no choice but to get him out. And Madi knew that all along; it's just a way to lure us into the palace. He knew I wouldn't do what he wanted otherwise."  
  
Ayame sat down yet again, an involuntary shiver creeping up her spine. "Then we must go. There's no excuse." Her hand descended gingerly on his wrist. He let a heavy sigh empty his lungs, shoulders slumping as he seated himself beside her. Her hand moved to his shoulder as they caught each other's gaze again. But he pulled back.  
  
"Then we must go," he murmured. "The faster we get on the road, the sooner we'll be able to get Balez out of there." So saying, he turned and went back into the pub, leaving behind an open door and Ayame's hurt.  
  
Within half an hour's time the clan was traipsing down the dusty road again, chatting eagerly about the battles to come. Liam regretted hurting her, but it was too late to make amends; she kept her distance from him, assuming a cold demeanor and busying herself with polishing her sword. Finding a new option open, she upgraded her job status to "Canaan-bringer." It made little sense to her, but one thing she'd learned was to trust in her weapon's choices, for it had proved itself like a living thing, guiding her into becoming one of the most valuable fighters of Clan Tjavo.  
  
The wandering clans and various monsters they encountered on their way to the palace were fearsome; but the clan overflowing with their own self- confidence and used combinations of physical and magical force and cunning strategy to overcome even the most advanced enemies. No word came from the prince to tell them what to do when they reached the palace, so Liam formulated his own plans, elaborating and trimming them as necessary every second of the journey. Ayame fought with all her available power and was a major winning factor. New attacks became available to her, all using a newly discovered silvery light that could wipe out multiple enemies in one fell swoop. It was impressive, but frightening at the same time, to be a wielder of a power that wasn't familiar and could not be controlled.  
  
When they came within sight of the palace, a long and torturous week had passed. Liam cast troubled glances at Ayame every few minutes, but she refused to look at him. Finally he quit trying, fed up with her unforgiving rejection, and ignored her just as profusely. A good night's sleep in the pub renewed everybody's spirits, nobody noticing the cold barrier between their leaders. Excited tension grew as the day when they planned to enter the palace approached.  
  
But on the morning of the final day, huge news reached the pub that forestalled their plans. Nobody in the pub could talk of anything else, the tale stretching farther and farther as it passed from mouth to mouth.  
  
"Haven't you heard yet? The Elddir struck the palace last night, and they've stolen the last crystal!"  
  
"The Elddir have got the last crystal, and they captured the prince too!"  
  
"You'll never guess--the Elddir killed the prince last night!"  
  
"I know that already, besides, it wasn't just the prince; they killed the queen, too!"  
  
Expanding and twisting with every telling and retelling, it took a long time for Liam to get to the bottom of the story. Apparently it was true that the attack was the Elddir's doing; most stories agreed that they now had the crystal, but in jeopardy was whether any of the royal family had been injured. The problem was, the palace was clearly upping security, and that would prolong their mission to rescue Balez. Obviously destroying the crystal was out of the question now.  
  
Liam's first reaction was to go talk to Ayame and form a new plan of action, before he remembered she was still nursing an injured pride. Withdrawing to his room, he tried to fall back asleep and escape his pounding headache, until a soft knock on the door jerked him out of it. With a groan he lurched to his feet, coming face to face with Ayame. 


	10. Captured

Oof. . .this story just gets more complicated by the chapter! Thanks for all your support again, everyone, it's been a real boost to me when I read all those encouraging reviews, also considering that this is my first fanfic ever =)  
  
-  
  
An indignant burst of annoyed words was on the tip of his tongue, but they crumbled and dropped into his throat when he saw Ayame, her face lacking its haughty expression. "I head the news," she murmured, avoiding his gaze. "Do you have any ideas?"  
  
He shook his head numbly, taking a few steps back and gesturing for her to come in. She did, settling her slight frame into the rickety chair in the corner. He seated himself on the bed, watching her intently, wondering what she'd come for. Clearly she had more to say than just to find out if he had any plans in mind.  
  
He was right. Twisting her hands in her lap, she spoke in a nervous, nearly inaudible voice. "I. . .just wanted to apologize. . ." she mumbled. Liam allowed a small, tired smile to linger on his face. "I had no right to be angry with you. I'm sorry."  
  
Ayame raised her gaze, startled, when she found her hand taken gently into his. "I'm sorry as well," he murmured quietly. "I forgive you easily, if you'll forgive me." Her head nodded fervently as she unconsciously rose, crossing the small space between them to perch on the bed beside him. They found themselves frozen, unable to tear their eyes away from the other's, blood pounding in their ears.  
  
But this time, it was Ayame who pulled back. "We can't," she whispered, wrenching herself from the embrace that called to her so longingly. "We can't, Liam. . .the rest of the clan would know, and it would be too dangerous. If we were separated, we could be used against each other. It won't work, Liam. . .I'm sorry. . ."  
  
And he knew she was right, though his heart would not accept it, aching just to hold her in his arms and lose himself in a simple kiss. . .but it could not, and would not, be. Hot tears pressing behind his eyelids, tears he would never let her see, he stood and turned his back. "We'll wait for one more day for word from Madi, and if we receive nothing, then I'm going to the palace-higher security or not." His choked words were curt, dismissive.  
  
Ayame bowed her head. "So be it," she whispered, departing while his back was turned. It was a suicide mission, and she knew that he knew that as well as she did, but their forbidden love had only strengthened his angry determination to fulfill their destined missions. By now she knew him well enough to be sure that nothing would change his mind this time.  
  
But she was wrong.  
  
There was one thing that could alter his decision. She didn't know it was coming, even when she saw the familiar cloaked figure in the corner of the pub. Sighing silently, she took a seat opposite from him, trying to make out any details under the shadow of the hood. "Liam isn't going to come talk to you now, so don't ask me to go get him."  
  
"I don't want him here. I need to talk to you, alone." Madi's voice was low and urgent. "Come outside for a moment; I can't say this in here, there's too many people around." Cautiously Ayame stood, following him through the rusty door of the pub and out into the bitingly cold winter air.  
  
"Ayame, look at me." She turned and was startled into forgetting what she'd been about to say, because the prince had removed his hood and was staring her straight in the eye. He was a few years younger than her, approximately, but handsome in a very royal way. Steel-gray eyes under sharp, slender brows were framed by a strand of silky black hair on either side of the face, the rest pulled back in a thin braid; a strongly arched nose above full-lipped mouth completed the picture. His chin was held high with a regality that had likely been bred into him from birth, part of being royalty.  
  
Captivated, she didn't see until too late the tall shadow that loomed from behind her. Her vision was obscured by the weighted cloth that was looped swiftly over her head, then all her senses muddled as she began to reel from lack of air. A swift but painful rap on her head knocked her into complete oblivion. 


	11. The Leader

This chapter took a bit longer, sorry. It was just post-Christmas mayhem and writer's block and all that happy stuff. *yawn* Anyway, I want more reviews! (Oh, Navi-Zero--you're quite free to interpret Madi any way you want ^^)  
  
-  
  
A deep, painful throbbing pounded through her skull, bringing her slowly back to the surface of her consciousness. A blur of color and noise only increased her headache, eyes watering violently as the harsh light struck them. Sensing a multitude of activity surrounding her, she decided it was best not to move until she could see and hear without feeling dizzy.  
  
Several minutes later she was able to open her eyes without too much pain. They flickered back and forth, following the crowds of people that moved quickly and purposefully around her, shouting things back and forth to each other. The windowless earthen walls and glaring electric lights overhead implied that she was underground, which was odd, because nobody ever built dwellings beneath the surface; especially not for as many people as she saw here. A few attempts at movement assessed her own situation; she was chained at wrists and ankles and held captive by a shimmering gossamer dome of blue energy that expanded over her entire body. It was common sense to know that it would probably shock her if she touched it.  
  
The slight movements she made attracted attention. "She's awake," Ayame heard the cry, and was immediately set upon by two men and a woman. They knelt by the edges of the dome, watching her intently. Still groggy, she gazed back and forth between the trio, confused.  
  
"Who are you and what am I doing here?" she finally asked, wincing as the metal chafed her sore wrists.  
  
The woman spoke. Her voice was cold, metallic, and authoritative; clearly she was a leader of some sort. "In general, we have more than one name; but the one the palace gave us, the Elddir, is the one you can call us by. In specific, Reldin, Nader, and I, Kirla"-she indicated the two men on either side of her, and herself-"are the three commanding generals of the Elddir's forces. We answer to the Leader alone.  
  
"And as for why you're here, that is simple. Through our own sources we know who you are, and we know who your companion, Liam, is. Your naivety made it simple for us to capture you, and clearly your precious Liam will come after you once he learns of your imprisonment; so we'll have both of you then, and our plans will be complete."  
  
Ayame was silent, contemplating her predicament. Negotiating was a bit difficult when you were flat on your back with your hands bound together. Finally, she decided just to confirm one of her suspicions. "Then just answer me this: who is this 'Leader' of yours?"  
  
All three of them laughed heartily. "Why, Prince Madi, of course. And no doubt he'll be wanting to see you soon." Still chuckling, they left her lying there, vanishing into the crowd.  
  
So it was true. She'd suspected that when Madi had lured her outside to be captured, and though several pieces of the mystery now fell into place, there were more that needed to be answered. Madi wanted to destroy the crystal, so secretly he had formed a fighting force to attack the palace. The king and queen had been forced to create this great army to defend themselves, knowing well that they could never convince the people of Ivalice's clans to fight for them. And while they were occupied with this daunting task, Madi quietly met with Liam and Ayame to convince them to come into the palace and underhandedly destroy the crystal.  
  
But the biggest question still remained: why did he want to get rid of the crystal in the first place?  
  
*  
  
Liam's eyes turned blood-red with fury when he learned that Madi had taken Ayame. Multiple clan members had seen her talk to a mysterious stranger in the corner, then go outside and not come back in. Waves of emotion crashed over him as he lay sobbing on his bed; helplessness, because he did not know where she'd been taken; guilt, because he had not stayed with her, out of anger; and love, though he knew she would never admit to herself or to anyone else that she loved him as well.  
  
Hours later, he rose, dry-eyed and fueled by anger and determination to rescue her. For another hour or so he sat in the pub, contemplating everything he knew so far to decide where she might have been taken. A gut instinct told him she had not been taken to the palace, but to a secret location nobody but himself knew of. But why did he have this feeling that she was now with the Elddir?  
  
A quiet voice at his elbow startled him from his train of thought. It was Peyo, the Summoner. "I know where the Elddir are hidden." 


	12. Firedrake

Oof. . .FINALLY done. . .This fic becomes more difficult to write by the chapter Reviewreviewreview! I won't have nearly as much time to write this when school starts tomorrow, by the way *sniffle*  
  
-  
  
Liam stared at her incredulously. "How do you know that?"  
  
The Summoner's gaze was fixed on the table, avoiding his. "I was once a part of them, back when they were first forming-you know, they began in my home town, Cadoan. Anyway, I was in agreement with their intentions until I learned that they intended not just to destroy the crystal, but also to uproot the king and queen and form a new monarchy. While I agreed that the present rulers are flawed, the system itself is soundly built, so I left them. They swore me to never reveal their base, and I haven't up until now; but when they took Ayame, I knew I had to tell you."  
  
Liam stood, his chair falling back to the floor with a resounding crash that turned heads. "Then by all means, lead the way."  
  
*  
  
Ayame was jerked out of her restless sleep by a cold hand on her shoulder. The blue shield was gone, as were the chains on her ankles, though her wrists were still chafed by the metal cuffs. Madi's face swam into view above hers, startling her into sitting upright. The prince straightened up, smirking down at her as he took a step back. "Finally joined us again, I see." He was missing the cloak she was so accustomed to seeing draped over his shoulders, wearing simply a royal blue shirt and black breeches; only subtle hints of his wealth and power were visible, such as a fine silver chain with ruby pendant around his neck and several gold rings on his right hand.  
  
He helped her to stand, balancing her when she could not reach out with her hand to steady herself, far too close to her for comfort. As soon as she was able she moved several feet away from him, eyeing him warily from under few strands of black hair. Madi chuckled. "I suppose you've figured out by now why I'm here." She nodded slowly, eyes darting around to evaluate any plans of escape. The walls were hard-packed earth, not soft enough to tunnel through; the place where she stood was a small hollow in the side of a long and narrow tunnel. To the right, the tunnel stretched off into indefinite darkness; to the left, it ended fifty feet away in a solid iron door guarded by an armed Bangaa.  
  
"There's no use in even trying to run." The prince's voice cut through her thoughts, as though he'd read her mind. "You'd never get through that door, and if you went the other way. . ." He chuckled. "I'll show you what would happen."  
  
Grabbing a torch off the wall-such a primitive form of light source, Ayame observed silently-Madi led the way down the tunnel. The darkness pressed in on all sides, only a few feet illuminated in a radius around them by the weak firelight; so it was an unexpected shock when they emerged into an enormous, well-lit cavern. Ayame halted sharply, gasping in wonder.  
  
They stood on a broad ledge that overlooked the entire cavern, inducing a sickening sense of vertigo. The majority of the gargantuan space was occupied by hordes of all manner of creatures; of course the five main breeds, but also hybrids between Viera and Bangaa, human and Nu Mou, and countless other combinations. And then, shockingly, there were creatures that seemed part-cyborg, made partly of blood and flesh and partly of electricity and metal. All were being equipped with protective armor and fearsome weaponry. The vast numbers alone would have been enough to stun her naïve mind, but there was more.  
  
"Look, Ayame!" Madi's face was flushed with excitement, his voice shrill. "Our greatest triumph to date!" When she did look, her awe was so great that she nearly tumbled from the rocky ledge.  
  
Roaring deafening bellows and spewing jets of flame into the air, two massive Firedrakes stood in the corner of the cavern. Great iron chains, each link at least as wide as Ayame's own body, shackled them to the walls, keeping them at the mercy of their captors. Tiny figures, made even less prominent in front of the enormous creatures, stood on a ridge behind them with massive weapons at the ready. By drawing blood with vicious stabs, they managed to keep the Firedrakes subdued as they warily fitted harnesses and saddles.  
  
The prince's breath was hot on her ear as he whispered to her. "No one in history has managed to capture one of these magnificent creatures. They will be our crowning glory in our war against the palace."  
  
Ayame could barely breathe, dazzled by all she saw. She'd never dreamed that the Elddir were such a force to be reckoned with.  
  
Both of them turned around at a voice from behind. A tall, sinewy human, with an enormous metal claw in place of her right arm, bowed to the prince with a sly smile. "Your guest has arrived, sir, with a full company."  
  
A broad smirk spread across Madi's face. "Send Liam in." 


	13. Windows to the soul

*bashes head against keyboard* I'll never have time to work on this again if my teachers keep giving me this much homework. . .  
  
-  
  
Madi led Ayame back down the hall, one hand tightly gripping her shoulder. He didn't stop at the metal door, passing right through it as soon as the guard shoved it open. The passageway outside was much wider and lit by glaring white overhead lights. Another door took them into a small, dank room, lined with cells that sparked with electric charge. In the center of that room he halted, one hand still holding onto her shoulder, the other toying with the ruby at his throat so it flashed in the sparse light.  
  
Tense minutes passed, the heavy silence unbroken save for the prince's steady breathing. Suddenly the door was slammed open, flooding the room with light for a moment, then suddenly blocking it out again as several figures filled the door. Ayame drew in her breath sharply, ignoring the aching of her eyes from the abrupt light exposure.  
  
Liam struggled violently against his captors, arms pinioned by two powerful fighters, his eyes alight with rage. "Get your hands off her, you filthy bastard," he spat, driving his knee into the stomach of a third man and leaving him gasping. "Let her go!" He fell silent, breathing heavily, as a knifeblade was pulled taut against his exposed throat.  
  
A cry sprang unbidden from Ayame's throat, but Madi's clasp only tightened. "You were foolish to come after her, Liam." He spoke softly, mockingly, silver eyes glittering with malice. "But you are, unfortunately for yourself, sadly predictable. And now that the crystal and its prophesied destroyers are both within my power, I am free to wage my war on the palace until it is nothing but a heap of rubble and ash."  
  
He released Ayame and briskly left the room with a satisfied smirk displayed across his face. The three men hurled Liam and Ayame, none too gently, into one of the cells and locked it securely. Then, as the door slammed shut, the room was cast into darkness and silence.  
  
Blindly they groped through the gloom until their hands met, and then they clung to each other tightly, sobbing with combined relief and despair. "Why did you come?" she whispered through her tears. "You knew that he'd just imprison you as well!"  
  
"But how could I leave you here alone?" he murmured, pulling her closer. "Especially with that sickening piece of trash who calls himself a prince. . .no, I'd rather be in this stuffy cell with you than out in the open air alone."  
  
He took a deep breath, and said it.  
  
"Because, Ayame, because I love you."  
  
And, to his shock, came a reply in a forlorn and desperate voice. "I love you, too."  
  
In the most unlikely of places, a grimy and unlit cube in the heart of their enemy's empire, they kissed. They could feel each other's tears on their skin as their lips touched, hesitantly at first, then with a sudden passion and fervor as to outmatch all others. And as they shared that moment of love, the purest and truest of all things, a bond was formed between them that could never be broken, never be dissolved; for it was invisible but nevertheless a powerful link that connected their souls. Though neither of them could see the other's face, the emerald and sapphire of their eyes lit up with a glow that could not be seen but by those who had seen it before; for as they say, eyes are the windows to the soul. 


	14. Illusion

I'm so sorry, you guys ;_; I haven't updated for SUCH a long time, and I don't even have a good excuse. . .except that I was being lazy and I couldn't decide what else to write. Anyway, here's a new chapter. Finally.  
  
-  
  
Minutes passed by agonizingly slowly, but then they could have been hours, or even days. In the pitch black and blanketing silence, broken only by the faint rhythm of breathing, time seemed to hang indefinitely suspended in the humid air. At first they were afraid, holding each other tightly, minds darting from one thought to another swiftly. But slowly, they settled down into a subconscious sluggishness, breathing minimalized, all thought reduced to nothing.  
  
Then the creaking of a bolt being slid back cut through their silence, taking precious moments to register as being real and not a wishful hallucination. Blinding light spilled through the open door, and as her mind slowly gathered together what was happening, strong hands pinioned Ayame's arms and hauled her out of the cell and down the long corridor. When her eyes stopped watering, she could vaguely make out the shapes of a human figure in front of her, a room walled in solid titanium, and a faintly glowing object on a pedestal. The human figure turned out to be Madi, and the glowing object: the crystal.  
  
Gradually another fact became aware to her to: the dull roar of activity, which had become familiar background noise in this hellhole, was gone. The silence was so absolute that it left a ringing noise in her ears. "Where are they?" she demanded, her voice sounding distant even to her own ears. "Your army-what happened to them?"  
  
A cruel smirk twisted the pale thin lips, the same arrogant sneer that she had come to so hate. "Waging war on my family and their pathetic army. Robotic creatures are no match for flesh and blood, wit and intelligence; we've already taken the castle under siege. But that is no concern of yours. Right now, the only thing that you need worry about is how to destroy that crystal."  
  
Ayame turned and got a good look at the final remaining crystal for the first time. It was small and pale, glowing with a faint light reminiscent of one of those old-fashioned forms of illumination called light bulbs. One could easily mistake it for a common power gem, used to bolster magical abilities in battle; but then it seemed to retain some mysterious quality that pulled her towards it. As she stared at it, all else seemed to fall away. She could no longer hear Madi's voice speaking from over her shoulder, no longer see the pedestal or the small room. All that existed for her now was the incandescent glow that expanded to fill her vision, pulling her towards it one slow but sure step at a time. Nothing else mattered now. . .nothing mattered except that she get that crystal into her hands. . .  
  
"Ayame!" The harsh call and the hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her illusion. The same metal walls gleamed dully all around her, the small pillar still occupied the room's center, the same crystal sat gleaming weakly, and that same prince's hateful face was still in front of her own. "What's wrong with you? I told you to destroy it. Now do it!"  
  
She shook her head, not understanding. What was she supposed to do? Throw it on the floor and smash it? Hesitantly she stepped towards it and put her hand out. As it hovered hesitantly over the crystal's surface, the glow intensified to a bright blue, pulsing with a surprising urgency. Disconcerted, she drew her hand back, and the crystal returned to its original unimpressive state. She turned to see Madi staring at her with eyebrows raised. Silently she exhaled, then laid her hands firmly on either side of the smooth glassy surface. Even with her eyes closed, the strong pulse still shone in her vision.  
  
A faint breeze whispered across her skin--but from where? They were in a windowless room, and underground at that. "Liam," it whispered to her. "Liam. . ."  
  
And she understood. Once the crystal was gone, what use would Madi have for her anymore? He'd kill them both and not lose a night's sleep over it. So she removed her hands, and turned to face him, and spoke: "I can't do it."  
  
Instantly his face darkened, lightning flashing in the prince's eyes. He understood perfectly well. "Don't be silly, of course you can do it."  
  
But Ayame stood firm and looked him straight in the eye and refused. For several moments that seemed to last an eternity they were locked in a silent battle of wills; but she won, and Madi spat at the guard standing outside the door to take her away. She went without protest, letting herself go limp with relief as she was hurled back into the dank, dark cell. Even as Liam's arms tightened around her, holding in a relieved embrace, she couldn't bring herself to move, falling away into unconscious oblivion. 


	15. Dying

Liam was dying. His face was pale, ashen, as he lay prostrate in bed. She sat by his bedside anxiously watching his face, her heart rising at each flutter of his eyelids and plummeting again with each hacking cough. For cough he did, continuously, his weakened body racked with the hoarse, gut-wrenching convulsions that tore at her heart. Gently she brushed back a strand of the white-blond hair from his face, her fingers lingering on his burning skin. As she drew back he was seized with another coughing fit, spasming with a new ferocity. A drop of blood appeared on his lips, and then more, staining the clean white bedspread. The crimson expanded to fill her vision, slowly growing darker until she was consumed by the blackness...

Ayame jerked back into awareness, her kin cold and clammy. Shivering, she sat up, and then suddenly registered the cold place beside her where Liam should have been. Then she realized that she was in a different place altogether, and not the cell where Liam had been before; she was lying in a bed, in another room, and there was someone there. A dark shape, rising and falling almost imperceptibly in the steady breathing of deep sleep. Instinctively she knew it was not Liam, scrambled out of the bed and crashed onto the carpeted floor, wakening the person in the bed.

There was a seemingly long period of muffled scrambling noises, then a lamp flared to life next to the bed, the flickering glow illuminating the face of the stranger: Madi. Ayame shrieked and sprang upright, taking several steps back. "What am I doing here?" she croaked, her voice oddly harsh and grating. "Where's Liam?"

The prince was already standing and moving towards her, as she moved backwards at the same time. "Forget Liam," he whispered hoarsely. "You don't need him. You don't need him anymore…" Her back struck the wall, the cold of the stones seeping through her shirt. His hand outstretched, his fingers slowly traced her jawline, sending a chill down her spine.

"Get away from me," she whispered, jerking out of his reach. "How dare you try to do this to me? How dare you?"

Madi's eyes burned with something more than anger as he flung her down onto the bed again. "How dare you?" His voice was barely audible but filled with a restrained passion and fury. "Love that filth, that piece of common, insolent low trash! I could give you so much more than him…" She could barely breathe for the terror that constricted her throat, the terror of blind fury and helplessness. His hot breath fluttered on her neck, his hands pressed against her body. There was a pause that lasted eternities for her, and then slowly, reluctantly, he rose.

"Love him, then," he murmured, drawing his hands away. "Love him, but do not hate me, that's all I ask you. Stay here one night with me…please…"

Ayame closed her eyes, wishing for death. Surely it had to be better than this harsh reality, to be suspended forever in the darkness she knew only too well. She had not asked for this life, not for the power granted to her nor the overwhelming responsibility. But what choice did she have? She turned her face away from him as she agreed, to her own disgust, and let him climb into the bed beside her. He did not touch her, save for one brief instant where his fingers brushed hers, and she was afraid he might reverse his decision to let her go; but then he moved back and let her sleep.

Sleep she did, though it was long in coming, and it was broken by the same nightmare of losing Liam to the terrible sickness. When she awoke fully again, she found Madi already conscious and watching her, his eyes fixed on her. Her eyes met his, and he looked away, but not before she saw the ferocious longing and desire in their silvery depths. He let her go back to Liam but refused to let them out of the cell, no matter now much she begged.

Liam embraced her fiercely, his crystal azure eyes filled with concern. "What happened?" he murmured, stroking her hair as she clung desperately to him. "Shhh, it's all right, you're here with me now." She told him everything, and as she was talking it became clearer in her own mind that Madi was intensely in love with her and would stop at almost nothing to win her over from Liam. "But I promise, I would never leave you for him," she assured him hurriedly. Liam said nothing, kissing her softly and pulling her closer.


	16. Scarlet blood

Eheh. Um, yeah, I'm a lazy butt and I never get around to writing. Sue me. Oh wait no...please don't sue me .__.;;  
  
*stares at review* Whoah...I live in Lafayette too...holy crap, email / IM me, whoever you are. o___o;;  
  
-  
  
A day passed before they were brought before Madi again. The room the couple was hustled into was apparently the operations room; monitors flashing various images lined the walls, casting a flickering ghastly glow over the pallor of the room's occupants. Directly in the center of this digital paradise, occupying a painfully upright chair, sat the prince.  
  
He looked as though he'd forgotten the previous night's events, or was at least pretending they hadn't happened. As his guard ushered Liam and Ayame in, he rose, giving them a mocking half-bow and grin. "Welcome back, my honored guests. I do hope you slept well?" Liam gritted his teeth, Ayame's hand on his shoulder the only thing preventing him from leaping forward and strangling their captor.  
  
Madi returned his attention to the faintly humming screens before him. Ayame felt herself unable to tear her eyes away from him, her eyes roaming over his profile; the broad, strongly arched nose, the long eyelashes framing icy gray-blue eyes, the full lips that moved slightly as he calculated the next move his army would make. To think that he, a prince of such power and fascination, loved her...it was making her head hurt. Finally she turned her gaze aside, to look at the monitors that so fascinated him.  
  
Far beyond this underground hideaway, the battle raged. Already the battlefield was littered with human corpses and batter machinery alike; the army of flesh and blood fought stolidly on against the unrelenting attacks from the mechanical troops of the palace. The great palace gates had been torn down, and half the palace was in flames; mechanized archers rained barbed arrows down from the upper stories, while battalions armed with flamethrowers and backed by mages stormed the ground level and raided the catacombs. Behind the army, a sizeable group of Bangaa prepared what appeared to be an enormous catapult, loading it with what appeared to be a huge mass of...jelly. [Author's Note: I cannot write battle scenes. At all. e__e;]  
  
"That is the most ingenious invention of this century." At the words she turned to face Madi, who had been watching her. "To the sight it looks like jelly. But upon rapid contact with a surface, it explodes and burns at a very high temperature. It's never been tested, but if it works properly, all the metal of those damned contraptions will be melted instantly—and if the king and queen are anywhere nearby, they'll be burned alive." His grim, cruel smile sent shivers running down her spine. He was truly a cruel, heartless creature.  
  
Sudden words from a monitor on the side of the room made both of them turn. A woman and a man, neither of them dressed in soldier's garb, filled the screen. Ayame realized, with a shock of surprise, that these were Madi's parents—King Oshiru and Queen Zabitha. They were holed up in what appeared to be their bedchamber, though loud thumps and angry cries sounded from outside. Dressed in blue and gold silken finery, their fine appearance threw a sharp contrast to their terrified expressions.  
  
"Madi," thundered Oshiru's voice, deep and furious. "Call off your pathetic army this instant. What reason have you to attack us like this?"  
  
The prince leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers with a calm smile. "If you must know, dearest father, I plan to overthrow the monarchy and install a democracy in its place. And until I am rid of all the monarchs of this country, my goal cannot be achieved. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"  
  
Zabitha looked positively green. The king, however, turned red with anger. "What have your mother and I ever done to you to make you wish this upon us? And if you must be 'rid of all the monarchs,' then how do you explain the fact that you, too, are in the royal heritage line?"  
  
At that point Madi lost his carefully sculpted self-control. Rising out of his chair so quickly that it fell over, a dark cloud of fury crossed his face. "If you hadn't spent your whole lives holed up in that damned palace, ignoring the rest of the world, you'd know what I mean. The people of Ivalice live in poverty—thousands of them are starving, and their clans end up having to attack others to steal food and gil from them. Every day in the streets there's talk of treason; they speak longingly of being able to murder the rulers they so despise. If you had put one foot outside your palace, you would know. But you don't. And I will see these people through, and they will rule their own country!"  
  
For several long moments there was a shocked silence, as everybody stared at Madi, who stood quite still with chest heaving and eyes burning. Ayame wasn't sure who this man was anymore—he seemed to be different every time she looked at him. He wanted her love, kept them imprisoned without comfort or care, seemed to care nothing for other people—and then he turned around and astonished them by proclaiming that the whole point of his war was to help the people of Ivalice.  
  
There was a sudden crash as the door to the monarchs' bedchamber was broken through. A great mob of wildly screaming fighters filled the room, seizing the king and queen and hauling them upright. "Madi," Zabitha screamed hoarsely. "Please, sto—" Her pleas were abruptly ended as her head fell to one side, scarlet blood pooling in her collarbone from the deep slit across her throat.  
  
Ayame felt dizzily sick, but Madi seemed to feel no remorse as his fingers hit the keypad and wiped the screen blank. "And so it begins," he murmured, staring unseeingly into the floor. "A new era for Ivalice..."  
  
And even as she was trying to digest all the information that had just entered her system, she realized suddenly that Liam was gone. 


	17. Dry eyed

Victor Hugo has crept into my writing. Okay, so right now I'm having serious doubts about my own writing style, because there are so many people out there who are so much better than me. This chapter didn't express half as much emotion as I wanted; I cried a lot while writing it. If this is even remotely sad to you at all, then I've done my job.  
  
-  
  
Madi was the second to notice Liam's absence. "Damn it all, he's gone after the crystal," he growled, more in irritation than surprise. Rising so swiftly that the chair crashed to the floor, he took flight, racing at full speed down the corridor. Ayame hesitated a moment, then followed at his heels.  
  
Liam was nearing the end of the hallway, chin tucked into his collarbone, straw-colored hair come loose from its ties and streaming behind him. His legs took long strides, covering ground faster than seemed possible, arms and elbows tucked in close to his body to maintain speed. He must have heard Madi's furious cries from behind him, but he did not turn, increasing his speed fraction by fraction. From between his clenched fingers pulsed the urgent glow of the crystal.  
  
Madi slowed, fumbling with something under his shirt. His hand retreated out into the open again, something glinting with a metallic sheen. With a jolt of horror, Ayame realized it was a gun.  
  
"Liam, don't make me shoot you," the prince shouted, his voice shaking, though his hands were steady. His pace slowed down to a halt, raising the gun to chest level, extending it out in front of him. "I swear to God, I'll shoot you if you don't stop running!" His screams were frantic and unsure, a bad combination when one is holding a murder weapon.  
  
Liam didn't stop. His pace only increased, as he turned a corner and was lost to view. Cursing the air blue, Madi took off again after him, with Ayame close behind. When they reached the corner, a blast of sunlight from an open door rendered their eyes temporarily blind; he was outside. As soon as they passed through the door he was visible again. Not fifty feet from them, he was doubled over, hands on his knees, panting with the exertion of long-distance sprinting. When he caught sight of Madi, he straightened up, still clutching the crystal. Disheveled hair hanging into his face, eyes alight with calm terror, clothing rumpled and legs shaking, he looked much the part of the pursued fugitive.  
  
He flung his left arm out, clenching the crystal tightly in his fingers. "I'll throw it," he warned, eyes flickering to the side. Madi followed his gaze. The forest was a thicket of unexplored, untamed growth; if the crystal were to be thrown in there, it could be years before anybody found it. "I swear, I'll throw the damned thing!" Liam repeated again. He was shaking like a leaf, but there was no doubt that he would do as he said.  
  
Then Madi drew the gun. For an instant Liam faltered, his eyes flicking to Ayame, who stood petrified ten paces behind the prince. Then his shoulders straightened, and his hardened gold eyes fixed onto Madi.  
  
"Shoot." His free hand fumbled with his shirt, then tore the front open, exposing his chest, muscled from years of fighting to preserve his life—the life which he was now so openly giving away. He faced the gun squarely, unflinching and unafraid, his shirt torn down the center and the crystal extended far from his body. "Go on, shoot, I won't stop you. All I want is that you will let Ayame leave this place and be free."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Ayame's heart pounded so fiercely in her breast that she would be aghast if someone had told her that she was the only one who could hear it. Then Madi's finger closed on the trigger.  
  
The crack of the bullet rent the air. Liam staggered a pace backwards, but his gaze did not falter, even as red blossomed onto his shirt. "I love you, Ayame," he whispered. The crystal fell from his fingers to land silently on the earth. He toppled backwards, a deep sigh escaped his lips, and that was all.  
  
Then followed the numb unfeeling silence that comes when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly. Ayame, taking slow, shaky steps, dropped to her knees beside Liam's body, faintly illuminated by the crystal at his side. An unexpected noise made her look up.  
  
The prince had fallen to his knees. Kneeling on the dirt, he pressed the still-warm muzzle of the gun to his chest, hands trembling. Without uttering a single word, he pulled the trigger a last time. There was a muffled shot, and he fell backwards without a sound.  
  
Ayame bowed her head over Liam's corpse, dry-eyed and still. Taking the crystal up in her palm, she stared at the cursed object for a moment, then closed all ten fingers around it. She knew what she must do.  
  
There was an intense white light that filled her whole vision, blinding her.  
  
A cacophony of tumultuous voices rose up around her, deafening her.  
  
Then all fell away into blissful, merciful darkness. 


	18. Apologies

To anyone who has read this fic, I offer my greatest apologies that I have not yet wrapped up my story.

There is but one chapter left to write in which I must explain a great deal of things, including Ayame's past, and it's been very difficult for me to find the time and creative brainpower to write it. I have other interests and activities that have been keeping me busy; I have moved on from fanfiction.

I can't tell you when the chapter will go up, but I assure you that someday it will. Thank you all for all your reviews and support through the course of my fic.

- Sara


End file.
